Liquid carton and straw combination



July 5, 1966 E. A. KALAJIAN LIQUID CARTON AND STRAW COMBINATION FiledNov. 4, 1964 INVENTOR. E DIM/1E0 A. (MAJ/AN BY ran/45F, (M0555 4-GAMBFA'LL ATTOFNE/S'.

United States Patent 3,259,297 LIQUID CARTON AND STRAW OOMBINATTUNEdward A. Kalajian, 9016 W. Pico lilvd, Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Nov.4, 1964, Ser. No. iiliifiidfi 6 Claims. (Cl. 229-7) This inventionrelates to liquid cartons such as those made from heavy gauge paper orsimilar material suitably impregnated or coated with wax, plastic, etc.so as to be liquid tight, and more specifically has reference to thecombination of a liquid carton with a straw contained within it.

Considerable attention has been given to providing the conventional milkor juice carton with a built-in straw to avoid the necessity of aseparate straw or drinking cup in the absence of which the user mustplace the carton to mouth. The fundamental problem is the useablebuiltin straw must be longer than the carton. The solution usuallysuggested for this problem is the use of straws of special constructionand connection with the container, such as straws having telescopingportions and straws which can be bent within the carton and straightenedwhen the carton is opened. Probably the most significant impediment toproviding such solutions tothe built-in straw problem is the economicfactor: the relatively high cost of special straw construction, and thecompatibility of incorporating them in milk and juice cartons which aremass produced in the millions by automatic machines as throw-away items.A fraction of a cent added cost can be very significant.

I have invented a carton and built-in straw combination which solves thefundamental problem without requiring a special straw construction andwithout requiring extensive modifications of or additions to the carton.This is accomplished through recognition of the fact that most cartonshave a height which is substantially greater than their width and of thefact that such a carton may be turned on its side when using the builtinstraw.

In accordance with my invention, an opening tab extends along a sidewall of the carton for a substantial vertical distance and has anexposed free end which may be manually grasped and pulled to open theside wall of the carton. A straw is disposed approximately verticallywithin the carton adjacent to and in alignment with the opening tab. Thestraw has an overall length which substantially exceeds the width of thecarton, and is connected at a position intermediate its ends to theopening tab at a position remote from the exposed free end of the tab.Thus, the carton may be turned on its side, and the opening tab may bepulled to open the upper side of the carton and pivot the straw to anupright position, the straw having a sufficient length to protrude fromthe carton and to span the depth of the liquid in the carton.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention, the free end of the openingtab is disposed adjacent the top wall of the carton and the body of thetab is defined by a pair of scaled vertical tear lines formed in a sidewall of the carton and spaced apart in parallel and coextensiverelationship a distance in excess of the diameter of the straw. The tearlines terminate at the same elevation which defines ta fixed end for thetab. The straw is a conventional straight straw suitably coated orimpregnated to prevent deterioration from exposure to the liquid. Thestraw has upper and lower end portions of substantial length, these endportions being free from the carton. The lower end portion has a lengthwhich is at least approximately equal to the width of the carton, andthe upper end portion of the straw has a length which is at mostapproximately equal to the vertical dis- 3,259,297 Patented July 5, 1966tance which the tab extends along the side wall. The straw is connectedat a position intermediatethese end portions to the opening tab, at aposition on the tap which is adjacent the fixed end of the tab.

The present invention will be more clearly understood by referring tothe following detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the carton andstraw combination of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the carton on its sidewith the opening tab in the opened position; and,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawing, a conventional milk or juice carton is in theform of a rectangular parallelepiped, having a top wall 10, a bottomwall 12, and four side walls 14, 16, 18, 20. The height H of the cartonsubstantially exceeds its width W. In the top wall 10 of the cartonadjacent one corner where the side walls 14, 116 intersect, the cartonhas a conventional tab sealed pouring spout arrangement 22. In otherforms of conventional milk or juice cartons the top wall is not fiat andthe pouring spout is formed by folded portions of the top wall. Thisform is not shown, but will be familiar to the general public due to itswide use.

Adjacent a different corner, defined by the intersection of the sidewalls 16, 18 of the carton, an opening tab 23 extends vertically alongthe side wall 16 of the carton. The opening tab 23 has an upper exposedfree end 24, a body 26 and a lower fixed end 28. A portion of theexposed upper end of the tab and the body of the tab are defined by apair of sealed vertical tear lines 30, 32 which extend in spacedparallel coextensive relationship from the top of the carton and downthe side 16 of the carton, to terminate at a common elevation whichdefines the fixed end of the tab. The tear lines are par tiallyperforated lined areas in the side wall 16, sealed by the wax or plasticcovering applied in the manufacture of the carton.

A conventional straight straw 33 is disposed vertically within thecarton adjacent to and in alignment with the opening tab 23. The strawis suitably coated or impregnated to be liquid proof. It has an upperend portion 34 and a lower end portion 36, both of substantial lengthand free of the carton. The upper extremity or end of the straw isdisposed adjacent the top of the carton which is adjacent the free end24 of the tab.

The straw may be connected to the tab by any conventional means which issecure and does not deteriorate in the liquid or contaminate the liquidcontained in the carton. As illustrated at 38, the straw is connected tothe tab by conventional non-toxic water-proof cement. The point ofconnection on the straw is substantially intermediate the end portions34, 36 of the straw. The point of connection on the tab is remote fromthe free end 24 of the tab, and preferably as shown is adjacent thefixed end 28 of the tab.

As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the carton may be placed on its side 29,and the free end of the opening tab may be grasped and pulled to openthe upper side wall 16 of the carton, thereby causing the straw toassume an upright position, ready for use without touching the straw.Obviously, the tear lines 30, 32 are spaced apart a distance in excessof the diameter of the straw so as to permit the upper end portion 34 ofthe straw to pivot through he opening provided by the tab. The strawpivots to an upright position approximately about the fixed end of thetab and as a result of the reorientation of the connection 38 betweenthe tab and the straw when the tab is pulled.

The upper end portion 34 of the straw, measured between the connection38 with the tab and the upper extremity of the straw, has a length whichpreferably is approximately equal to the vertical extent of the tabalong the side wall 16. In any event, the length of the upper endportion 34 of the straw, if a straight straw, cannot exceed materiallythe vertical tab dimension.

The lower end portion 36 of the straw, measured between the connection38 and the lower extremity of the straw, has a length which is at leastapproximately equal to the width W of the carton, so that when thecarton is on its side the straw spans the then depth of the liquidcontained in the carton. Obviously, by extending the tear lines 30, 32beyond the connection 38, the lower end portion of the straw could belonger and the upper end portion 34 of the straw could be made toprotrude farther, all by tearing the tab along the extended tear linesbeyond the connection point 38.

By virtue of my invention it will be seen that the conventional cartonrequires a minimum modification, the straw may be a conventionalstraight straw, and the connection between the straw and carton is ofthe simplest nature. As a consequence, the combination may bemanufactured with very little modification in existing automaticmachinery and at a minimum of added cost.

Location of the tab and straw adjacent a corner remote from theconventional pouring spout serves a two-fold purpose: First, the strawdoes not interfere with the conventional pouring spout nor does itcomplicate it since its location is remote. Second, since the straw islocated adjacent a corner, the carton when on its side may be tiltedtoward this corner as the liquid is removed' so as to assure removal ofall the liquid.

The location of the tab adjacent the top end of the carton is aconvenience, and since cartons are normally stored and transported withthe conventional top wall in the upward position, the tendency of liquidleakage is minimized. Also location near an end of the carton furtherenhances the ability of the straw to remove all of the liquid by meansof appropriately tilting the carton.

I claim:

1. A liquid carton having top, bottom and side walls and having a heightwhich is substantially greater than its width; an opening tab extendingalong a side wall of the carton for a substantial vertical distance, theopening tab having an exposed free end adapted to be manually graspedand pulled to open the side wall of the carton; a straw disposedapproximately vertically within the carton adpacent to and in alignmentwith the opening tab, the straw having an overall length whichsubstantially exceeds the width of the carton; and, means con- .nectingthe straw at a position intermediate its ends to theopening tab at aposition remote from the exposed free end of the tab.

2. A liquid carton having top, bottom and side walls and having a heightwhich is substantially greater than its width; an open-ing tab extendingalong a side wall of the carton for a substantial vertical distance, theopening tab having a fixed end and having an exposed free end adapted tobe manually grasped and pulled to open the side wall of the carton; astraight straw disposed vertically within the carton adjacent to and inalignment with the opening tab, the upper end of the straw beingdisposed proximate to the free end of the tab and the straw having alength which substantially exceeds the width of the container; and meansconnecting the straw to the tab at a position adjacent the fixed end ofthe tab.

3. A liquid carton having top, bottom and side walls :and having aheight which is substantially greater than its width; means including apair of scaled vertical tear lines formed in a side wall of the cartonfor defining a vertical opening tab in the side wall, the opening tabhaving an exposed end adapted to be manually grasped and pulled to tearopen the side wall of the carton along said tear lines; a straw disposedapproximately vertically within the carton adjacent to and in alignmentwith the opening tab, the straw having an overall length whichsubstantially exceeds the width of the carton; and, means connecting thestraw at a position intermediate its ends to the opening tab at aposition remote from the exposed end of the tab.

4. A liquid carton substantially in the form of a rectangularparallelepiped having top, bottom and side walls and having aconventional sealed pouring spout, the carton having a height which issubstantially greater than its width; means defining an opening tabextending vertically along a side wall of the carton at a positionremote from the pouring spout and adjacent a corner of the carton; theopening tab having an exposed end adapted to be manually grasped andpulled to open the side wall of the carton; a straw disposedapproximately vertically within the carton adjacent to and in alignmentwith the opening tab, the straw having an overall length whichsubstantially exceeds the width of the carton; and, means connecting thestraw at a'position intermediate its ends to the opening tab at aposition remote from the exposed end of the tab.

5. A liquid canton having top, bottom and side walls and having a heightwhich is substantially greater than its width; means defining an openingtab extending from the top and along a side wall of the carton for asubstantial vertical distance, the opening tab having an exposed endlocated adjacent the top of the carton and adapted to be manuallygrasped and pulled to open the side wall of the carton; a straight strawdisposed approximately vertically within the carton adjacent to and inalignment with the opening tab, the straw having an overall length whichsubstantially exceeds the width of the carton and having an upper endportion and a lower end portion, the upper and lower end portions of thestraw being of substantial length and being free from the carton; andmeans connecting the straw at a position intermediate its end portionsto the opening tab at a position remote from the exposed end of the tab.

6. A liquid carton having top, bottom and side walls and having a heightwhich is substantially greater than its width; means defining an openingtab extending from the top and along a side wall of the carton for asubstantial vertical distance, the opening tab having an exposed endlocated adjacent the top of the carton and adapted to be manuallygrasped and pulled to open the side wall of the carton; a straight strawdisposed approximately vertically within the carton adjacent to and inalignment with the opening tab, the straw having an overall length whichsubstantially exceeds the width of the carton and having an upper endportion and a lower end portion, the upper and lower end portions of thestraw being of substantial length and being free from the carton, thelower end portion having a length which is at least approximately equalto the width of the carton, and the upper end portion having a lengthwhich is at most approximately equal to said vertical distance which thetab extends along said side wall; and, means connecting the straw at aposition intermediate its end portions to the opening tab at a positionremote from the exposed end of the tab. j l

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,450,244 9/1948Lynch 2297 2,949,217 8/1960 Pugh. 3,184,134 5/1965 Cohen et al. 22973,215,329 11/1965 Pugh 2297 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner.

1. A LIQUID CARTON HAVING TOP, BOTTOM AND SIDE WALLS AND HAVING A HEIGHTWHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN ITS WIDTH; AN OPENING TAB EXTENDINGALONG A SIDE WALL OF THE CARTON FOR A SUBSTANTIAL VERTICAL DISTANCE, THEOPENING TAB HAVING AN EXPOSED FREE END ADAPTED TO BE MANUALLY GRAPED ANDPULLED TO OPEN THE SIDE WALL OF THE CARTON; A STRAW DISPOSEDAPPROXIMATELY VERTICALLY WITHIN THE CARTON ADJACENT TO AND IN ALIGNMENTWITH THE OPENING TAB, THE STRAW HAVING AN OVERALLY LENGTH WHICHSUBSTANTIALLY EXCEEDS THE WIDTH OF THE CARTON; AND, MEANS CONNECTING THESTRAW AT A POSITION INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS TO THE OPENING TAB AT APOSITION REMOTE FROM THE EXPOSED FREE END OF THE TAB.